It is also said that E.W.Godwin designed a table in 1868 and it was made in large number by William Watt, and it was the initial coffee table, though very low in height. Also, this idea was first introduced by the Ottoman Empire, that this furniture will be styled as low tables, based on the fact that garden tea tables were also of the same pattern. Also it should be noted that Anglo-Japanese style was quite popular in Britain during the late 19th century, and these might also have played a factor. During the late 19th century, it started becoming popular due to revivalism. So, it is quite easy to find Georgian or Louis XVI styled coffee tables but not anything before them.

The way you use your coffee table is a key factor, if yours tends to double as a dining table for yourself or children, look for an easy to clean surface such as glass or poly, if you are intending on housing your DVD collection in your coffee table you will need to look for something with storage. If you have young children who may be crawling, or climbing on furniture, you may like to consider something with round edges, which does not necessarily limit you to round designs; many rectangle tables will have a softer curved edge.

The perfect coffee table complements your décor, of course. Ideally, you want to select a table that is in the same style as the rest of your furnishings. For instance, a country inspired design may stick out like a sore thumb in a contemporary furnished living room. Conversely, a stainless steel and glass table may look out of place in a home decorated in a tropical style, or one that features highly ornate furnishings. Unless you are an experienced interior designer, you may want to stick to with a table that is in the same general style of the rest of your furnishings, i.e., traditional with traditional, contemporary with contemporary and so on.